


Glory

by limewire



Series: A Hunter's Woes Written in Green [3]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Panic Attacks, The Crucible (Destiny)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 23:22:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17313770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/limewire/pseuds/limewire
Summary: Sometimes the Crucible isn't that beneficial for every Guardian.





	Glory

Oh shit. Oh fuck. Why in the name of the Traveler did he agree to this? Was it the promise of shiny loot? Fashionable armor? Whatever it was, it flew out of his mind now, seeing how he could feel the panic boiling up in his chest and face.

He never did like the Crucible much, that is, he never liked watching it. He knew people who did, and he didn't bother them about it, but him personally..? He hated the thought of pointing a weapon at someone who didn't REALLY want to kill him, and the Crucible was, well… All about that.

The fireteam transmatted in, with the Hunter sticking behind them. Baby's first gladiator match, how terrible could it be?  _Not very terrible it doesn't seem._

Shaxx's voice boomed over the loudspeakers, sounding loud, proud and boisterous as ever as he counted down the seconds to match start. Small cameras buzzed about as the starting timer hit zero and the whole squadron bolted off, taking various directions among the available paths.

“Hey, loosen up green boy!” One of the Titans shouted back to him as he ran off with half the group. “You're not gonna get any kills like that!”

That's the word that got him.  _Kills._ Rang up and down his circuits like an unpleasant gong, thinking about how he would have to kill other Guardians to win. Even though they all had their Ghosts, it still felt… Downright terrifying. He's rammed downright terrifying before, right into its ribcage in flaming fury that could engulf a planet. He’s mowed down hordes of Cabal and Hive and Fallen without a second thought, but… This was a different kind of terrifying.

But he decided to try and push on anyways, despite his heart and mind screaming at him to either run away or lie down and panic. Or both. Good thing he didn't have a stomach like humans did, otherwise he'd be feeling  _all sorts_  of dizzy…

He jumped up to a higher ledge and crept through a darkened building, sniper rifle clutched close to his frame as his quiet tiptoes scuffled along the metal walkway. He peeked out from behind the frame of an open window, glancing down at the open area that laid below. Gunfire cracked between the walls they were situated in, kinetic projectiles and energy beams whizzing by and bouncing off the surrounding environment.

He saw and contemplated for a moment, his mind racing at a million thoughts a second. How should he get in. Would he even get out? How much special ammunition does he have? Can he–

A sickening splatter reached his senses.

His optics tightened to dots behind his mask as he saw one of the fireteam members get nipped right through the skull with a solid bullet, red fluid spraying out onto the grass beneath him as he collapsed to the ground. His Ghost quickly got to work at reviving him, but… The sight had burned itself into the mind of the Hunter.

He whipped back behind the corner, gripping his rifle so hard that he was almost denting its alloy body. His thoughts melted and blurred with the rest of his senses.

_It's just a game._

He shouldn't have come here. He shouldn't have let himself be convinced. He knew that he was going to see something gruesome happen and that he would fall down into a frenzy, so why did he even bother?

_It's just a game._

He's not made for the Crucible. He can't fight other Guardians. He can't. Not for real, not for sport, not unless they were really, REALLY intending to kill him first.

**_It's just a goddamn game._ **

* * *

 He didn't really hear or see what was going on as his fireteam transmatted him out of the match, his perception of reality blurring together in the panic that clouded his mind. It wasn't until he was in the hold of a more familiar Guardian that he began to calm down, and even then he was very unsteady and prone to breaking again.

Over on the other side of the room he heard the fireteam he was paired with arguing endlessly about what had just happened, some being more cold about it than others.

“We shouldn't have brought him in, plain and simple! Some people aren't built for the Crucible and you can't change that.”

“Is it wrong for every Guardian to get a taste of glory once in a while? If he freaks out, it means he should keep on going and get stronger!”

“Gah, typical Titan talk..! Look at him, he was paralyzed and still won't speak! Glory doesn't exist solely in the Crucible, you know!”

“If he can charge into Red Legions and Hive and Fallen, then he can charge into an arena. There's no difference in the end of it all, other than one is for freedom and one for sport!”

“It's COMPLETELY different, you thick-helmeted numbskull! Some people don't like fighting their fellow Guardians!”

The squabbling between the Titan and the Warlock continued on and on, their loud voices sounding like they could make the whole room's hearing ring. Eventually some strangers directed them out the room and everyone was finally able to get back to whatever idle chatter they were on about before.

The sound of the room smudged into white noise in the Hunter's mind, but at least he was now feeling safer in the hold of his close Titan travel partner. While Mikado-11 was shorter in stance than he was, he was quite the powerhouse– and quite the hugger.

“... Shaxx isn't gonna be able to even  _look_  at me.” He finally spoke up in a mumble, not lifting his gaze from the floor. “What do I do, Mika..?”

“Come on, he's not like that.” The Titan replied, bright orange optics still holding positive radiance through his worry. “Competitors have their limits, and… He respects that.”

“... Are you sure?”

“Yeah! I mean, I know he's all like  _'Join the Crucible, it's for the greater good!’_  Or something, but… I think he's a big softie inside all that armour.”

“Heh, a lot like you.”

“I'm soft inside AND out, Keylime!”

“You're a huge dork.” The hunter finally got a few chuckles out. “Now I know this place really doesn't have good energy for me… Wanna go check out that ramen shop that Cayde keeps on raving about?”

“NOODLES!” The Titan exclaimed and stood up, taking the Hunter up in his hold with him and trotting down to said shop without a hint of embarrassment.


End file.
